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Topic: Maranatha (Read 3739 times)

This word appears twice in the new testament as far as I know, and is unique in that it isnt greek but is actually aramaic. Now someone asked me if this appears at all within our liturgies, and since I don't speak or understand the greek liturgy at all that well I just want to ask does this word ever appear in any of our liturgies? John Chrysostom, Basil and the like?

It appears, iirc, in some anathemas, the formula being something like :"...anathema, maranatha with the devil and his angels...". Sounds funny.

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She hears, upon that water without sound, A voice that cries, “The tomb in Palestine Is not the porch of spirits lingering. It is the grave of Jesus, where he lay.” We live in an old chaos of the sun, Or old dependency of day and night, Or island solitude, unsponsored, free, Of that wide water, inescapable.

This word appears twice in the new testament as far as I know, and is unique in that it isnt greek but is actually aramaic. Now someone asked me if this appears at all within our liturgies, and since I don't speak or understand the greek liturgy at all that well I just want to ask does this word ever appear in any of our liturgies? John Chrysostom, Basil and the like?

I cannot recall the phrase itself being used in a liturgical context beyond readings. The same goes for "Eli, Eli, lama sabachtani" and other untranslated Aramaic phrases from the NT.

I have heard some priests say "Maranatha" or "Maranatha, come Lord Jesus" immediately after they complete the epiclesis at the Liturgy. I've never seen this in a service book, though.

« Last Edit: August 02, 2012, 01:55:22 PM by Benjamin the Red »

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"Hades is not a place, no, but a state of the soul. It begins here on earth. Just so, paradise begins in the soul of a man here in the earthly life. Here we already have contact with the divine..." -St. John, Wonderworker of Shanghai and San Francisco, Homily On the Sunday of Orthodoxy

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who can watch the watchmen?"No one is paying attention to your post reports"Why do posters that claim to have me blocked keep sending me pms and responding to my posts? That makes no sense.

I have heard some priests say "Maranatha" or "Maranatha, come Lord Jesus" immediately after they complete the epiclesis at the Liturgy. I've never seen this in a service book, though.

Perhaps they were speaking in tongues. Wouldn't be surprised.

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She hears, upon that water without sound, A voice that cries, “The tomb in Palestine Is not the porch of spirits lingering. It is the grave of Jesus, where he lay.” We live in an old chaos of the sun, Or old dependency of day and night, Or island solitude, unsponsored, free, Of that wide water, inescapable.

I have heard some priests say "Maranatha" or "Maranatha, come Lord Jesus" immediately after they complete the epiclesis at the Liturgy. I've never seen this in a service book, though.

Perhaps they were speaking in tongues. Wouldn't be surprised.

Cute. I doubt it, though. I don't know of many that do it, but they do it at every Liturgy, like some informal tradition they received. I've never asked about it. Perhaps I should.

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"Hades is not a place, no, but a state of the soul. It begins here on earth. Just so, paradise begins in the soul of a man here in the earthly life. Here we already have contact with the divine..." -St. John, Wonderworker of Shanghai and San Francisco, Homily On the Sunday of Orthodoxy

I have heard some priests say "Maranatha" or "Maranatha, come Lord Jesus" immediately after they complete the epiclesis at the Liturgy. I've never seen this in a service book, though.

Perhaps they were speaking in tongues. Wouldn't be surprised.

Cute. I doubt it, though. I don't know of many that do it, but they do it at every Liturgy, like some informal tradition they received. I've never asked about it. Perhaps I should.

It doesn't sound like a custom that would have arisen among the orthodox. Sounds pretentious. Plus hearing the epiclesis isn't traditional either.

« Last Edit: August 02, 2012, 09:43:22 PM by augustin717 »

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She hears, upon that water without sound, A voice that cries, “The tomb in Palestine Is not the porch of spirits lingering. It is the grave of Jesus, where he lay.” We live in an old chaos of the sun, Or old dependency of day and night, Or island solitude, unsponsored, free, Of that wide water, inescapable.

Appropriate perhaps in the context of the Gregorian liturgy, in which the anaphora is addressed to God the Son. In any other context, however, I, like you, am uncomfortable with its inclusion after the epiklesis. Perhaps the Russian inclusion of the 3rd Hour troparion has led some priests to believe that it's okay to insert any prayer that 'kinda sounds like it belongs'.

I've heard this done while I was serving. The epiclesis was done during, "we praise thee, we bless thee," and spoken, most likely inaudible to those in the nave, and "marantha" said immediately after the triple "amen."

I understood saying it at that point to be a recognition of Christ coming in the Eucharist and a prayer for the glorious second coming.

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"Hades is not a place, no, but a state of the soul. It begins here on earth. Just so, paradise begins in the soul of a man here in the earthly life. Here we already have contact with the divine..." -St. John, Wonderworker of Shanghai and San Francisco, Homily On the Sunday of Orthodoxy